Maybe when I die, I’ll get to be a car driving in the night lighting up the dark.
Ugh, this song will always get me.
Where have they been…

Ugh, this song will always get me.
Where have they been…

Hip hop from all over the world y’all.
Canadian-based Moka Only has been skating along the boundaries of my radar for quite some time now. He’s worked with many different underground artists, big and small, to lay a few lines or help in the production phase. I love his willingness to work with various musicians to create something truly diverse each and every single time.
Check out my round-up of tracks from this legendary artist, who’s released more than 40 albums in his music career so far, and I’m sure, much more to come.
New Season (ft. Ohmega Watts & Moka Only) – The Extremities
Lynn Valley Montage – Moka Only
That’s Luck ft. Moka Only – Nick Wisdom
Good Morning (Feat. Moka Only) – Union
If you want more Moka Only in your life, check out the tag on bandcamp that will keep your listening going for hours. But, also be sure to check out his recent collaboration with the Swiss beatmaker, Chief, here. You can grab a free track from their remix album below.
Mess Around (Elaquent Remix) – Moka Only & Chief
BONUS: Did you know he was briefly in this 90′s one hit wonder?
Right-click and enjoy all.

This is a track to get excited for the warm summer air, the longer nights and stoop sits, midnight bike rides and weekend shore trips.
At just over two minutes The Danks crank out the track, “Automocar,” with speedy, wailing guitars and the absolute perfect amount of synth. Download the Strokes-esque track below which is off their upcoming release, Are You Afraid Of The Danks (May 22nd).
Right-click and enjoy.
Right-click and enjoy.

Just keeping my ears open early morning, I stumbled upon these fantastic beatstrumentals. I’m a big fan of Jellyfish Recordings and their man Nick Wisdom, that’s no secret but recently I’ve stumbled upon a new group.
Luke MC is some young blood coming out of the UK who works with an quite the impressive music collective. I’m still doing my research, but take a listen and grab the tracks below in the meantime. You won’t be disappointed.

Last week I featured Canadians, Said The Whale, and their latest album in our Sunday Listening series. So, what would be a better way to cap off the end of your work week than by seeing these guys live?
As the group heads back north from another eventful SXSW, they plan to make a stop in Philadelphia tonight to play a show at The M-Room. I’m excited to revisit this location off Girard Ave. in Fishtown. It reminds me a bit of the old Khyber bar set-up with the half-walls and long rooms. An overlooked venue at times, this place always feels like an undiscovered gem to me.
Join us tonight to see this power-pop group in action. Show starts at 9pm and it’s less than $10, you just can’t say no to that.

I just really, really enjoy this group at the moment. Olenka and the Autumn Lovers, besides being quite the mouthful, are a quirky indie-pop band coming out of Canada.
“Odessa,” is a quick little track from the group’s album, And Now We Sing, which tells the story of monetary strife between an already strained family. There’s a playful tone lurking in the background with a potential resolution; “We can run away. Steal away until the morning.”
Pick your battles, find your escape, right-click and enjoy.

I should have known these guys were Canadians, I have been loving on them too hard.
Fluttering along my radar, I was finally able to grab a copy of Said The Whale’s recently released album, Little Mountain.
Hook heavy is a pretty condensed explanation for this power-pop five piece. What I’m impressed with most is their mood control, effortlessly switching emotions with breakdowns and variations each track. It’s all just so tightly packaged and natural, I’m really into it. They’re slightly on the tails of The Head and the Heart, but that’s a damn fine band to be made comparisons to.
Listen to Little Mountain below and also explore their YouTube channel, the group is making a video all for 15 tracks on the album.

Library Voices are going to be my sole springtime anthem. Their entire catalogue of music is full of sun-soaked power pop, sure to wipe clean any negative vibes.
Their lyrics typically tell a relatable story or the pains of being twenty-somethings like in the song, “If Raymond Carver Were Born in the 90’s,” which talks about how all their friends are settling down and starting families while they’re still making music. It’s the push and pull of life, to live free and creative or settle down into a stable lifestyle. It’s about a happy balance.
I love their constant upbeat sound, their tightly packaged hooks and of course their fondness for spacey sound effects. These Canadians’ released their latest album, Summer Of Lust, back in August which is simply a pop masterpiece. They’re currently rounding out some SXSW stops then making the trek back north, but not before they hit the East Coast (with a Philadelphia stop!).
Grab a couple of their tracks below and be sure to watch the video below for one of their older tracks, “Drinking Games.”
If Raymond Carver Were Born in the 90′s – Library Voices
The Prime Minister’s Daughter – Library Voices
Generation Handclap – Library Voices
Drinking Games – Library Voices
Enjoy.

About a month ago we celebrated J Dilla’s passing with many tributes, posts, and conversations about one of the hip hop scene’s greatest producers and musicians to date. Dilla was known for many things, especially his resilience, and that’s why I believe artists from any generation can hold mad respect for the man.
I recently heard this collaboration’s tribute from one of my favorite electronic labels in Canada, Jellyfish Recordings. Nick Wisdom and Astrological come together as one and fuse jazzy instrumentals alongside grooving hip-hop beats. It’s smooth and poetic, relaxed and laid back. And it’s free (although donations are always welcome).